The Powerful, Built-in Bodily System You Were Never Told About

Most of us were taught basic anatomy in school. You probably know all about most of the body’s major organs and systems.

So when I first learned of the vagus nerve, my mind was blown.

I had no idea this nerve existed inside my body, much less all of the remarkable things it could do for my health—like help me sleep better, speed up healing, ease my anxiety, and improve my memory… just to name a few.

All I could think was, “Why haven’t I ever heard of this before?”

So today, I’m here to tell you what I wish I’d discovered decades ago, about one of your body’s most important—but little-known—natural healing systems.

Vagus Nerve 101

Your vagus nerve, also called the “wandering nerve,” is the longest nerve in your body.

It begins at the bottom of your brain stem and travels through your body, touching every major organ, and stopping at your abdomen.

Your vagus nerve is a lot like a thermostat… It automatically kicks on to keep everything in perfect balance. And research has shown that the vagus nerve is vital to many of the crucial, yet delicate, processes in the body, including:

• Blood sugar
• Blood pressure
• Inflammation
• Free radicals
• Oxygen levels in your blood
• Stress- and calm-inducing chemicals

Unfortunately, as you age, your vagus nerve loses the ability to maintain this critical balance. As a result, some of your bodily functions and health markers start to decline.

In other words, the state of this nerve plays a large role in whether your health will flourish and thrive, or gradually deteriorate as you age.

Fortunately, there’s an easy way to strengthen your vagus nerve. All you need is the sound of your own voice…

How to get a vagal “tune-up”

Anytime you make a vocal sound—like singing, chanting, humming, and even gargling—your vagus nerve vibrates. This stimulation activates the cascade of health benefits I mentioned a moment ago.

Here’s an easy exercise you can do daily to stimulate your vagus nerve with sound:

1. Find a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted.
   
   
2. Get into a comfortable position (either sitting or standing) and close your eyes.
   
   
3. Take a moment to note how you feel physically and mentally.
   
   
4. Use YouTube or a music streaming app to play one of your favorite songs. (It must have lyrics).
   
   
5. During the singing parts you may either:
   
   –Sing along with the words
   –Hum along with the melody
   
   
6. During any instrumental parts without singing, take a few slow, deep breaths.
   
   
7. Repeat these steps for as many songs as you like.
   
   
8. When you’re finished, take note of how you feel.

Do you feel more energized? Are you in a better mood? These are a few of the immediately noticeable benefits vagal nerve stimulation provides.

Always remember that it’s not important whether you’re in tune or not… or have a “good” voice. The benefits come from the self-generated sound.

The most important factor is that you do these exercises regularly to continue to strengthen your vagus nerve. As you increase the duration and frequency, you’re sure to feel the positive effects.

If you’d like to explore these benefits more in-depth, check out my Whole Body Sound Healing System. I guide you through 30 video tutorials and will teach you a variety of exercises you can do anywhere, at any time.  Simply click here to learn more or to get started right away.

 Be well, Jim

SOURCES:

Johnson, R. and Wilson, C. (2018). A review of vagus nerve stimulation as a therapeutic intervention. Journal of Inflammation Research. Retrieved from: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5961632/#

The material provided on this site is for educational purposes only and any recommendations are not intended to replace the advice of your physician. You are encouraged to seek advice from a competent medical professional regarding the applicability of any recommendations with regard to your symptoms or condition.

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